Tensai Fool
by Woozhing
Summary: Sakuragi Hanamichi decided to act as an angel to help his friends in need. But is he a fool rushing in where angels fear to tread? 1st birthday fic for the tensai! Ruhanaru, Kogare/Ayako.
1. Soulmate

Disclaimer: Fanfiction based on characters created by Takehiko Inoue in Slam Dunk.

* * *

**1. Soulmate**

Sakuragi Hanamichi nervously fingered the printout of Rukawa's email in his pocket. It's now or never, he said to himself, I must tell her cos there is nothing that a tensai cannot do. He looked at his watch for the eighteenth time, assuring himself that he was way too early and that it was not that she wasn't coming. It was ominous that she should chose the rooftop for their last meeting. This was where the three of them had come together for the very first time. Rukawa had insulted her and thus had become his mortal enemy on and off the basketball court. Was this how it was going to end? Trying to prevent her from getting hurt again?

"Sakuragi? You are early," a soft sweet voice behind him asked nervously. Damnit, she was early too, thought Sakuragi as he slowly turned around to face Haruko. Although she looked extremely nervous, her round eyes glistening with a soft light like those of a shy deer. she still managed to give him the angelic smile that she almost always reserved for him. Of course being a tensai deserved nothing less but Sakuragi had no doubts that she was fond of him which made today's meeting a thousand times more difficult.

"Haruko, are you sure you won't change your mind?" he tried for the umpteen time. Her nervous expression grew soft and liquid as she looked at the boy whom it seemed carried a torch for her ever since they first met.

"Sakuragi-kun, you mustn't do this. I'm leaving this afternoon and nothing you say can change my mind. Why are you so worried? I'm just going to America to study"  
"In the same city as Rukawa and attending the same university"  
"Yes, it was my brother who arranged all that. I already told you that. He just wants to make sure that there is someone familiar I can turn to if there is a need. I probably won't see him all that much."

Sakuragi couldn't take it anymore. "Haruko, I'm begging you. Please don't go. You are too pure. I am afraid you can't handle the truth about Rukawa"  
Haruko put both hands to her ears and squeezed her tearing eyes shut, "Sakuragi, please don't do this! Don't try to smear Rukawa. I hate it if you try to do that. You know I really like you but you are just like a brother to me."

"SAKURAGI!"  
A angry roar made them turned around in shock disbelief. It was Takenori Akagi, Haruko's brother!  
"What are you trying to do to my sister? It's a good thing I met Ayako who told me she was meeting you on the rooftop"  
Haruko suddenly burst out crying as she was afraid that these two guys who hold special places in her heart might start to kill each other. Akagi gave her a gentle push towards the exit.  
"Go now, Haruko. You need to get ready to leave for the airport soon. Don't worry, I am not going to do anything to Sakuragi."

Haruko wiped her tears like a child, threw Sakuragi one last anguished look and rushed for the escape that she so desperately sought. Sakuragi, heart thumping, turned to Akagi and got ready to fend off his blows with tensai power but surprisingly the ex-captain of Shohoku was looking at him with affection and pity.

"Contrary to the last, eh Sakuragi? But it was all for the love of my sister so I forgive you. But you must learn to let go"  
"No, no, no, all of you have got the tensai wrong. I wasn't being jealous and trying to hold on to Haruko. I was just trying to protect her from Rukawa"  
"Please," snorted Akagi, "don't be so self-righteous. Rukawa is a thousand times the gentleman that you will never be."

"He is ... how can I say this? Best if you read this, Gori"  
Sakuragi held out the printout email from Rukawa with trepidation. Akagi took it from him gingerly and scanned it.  
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? WHEN DID YOU BECOME SUCH GOOD FRIENDS WITH RUKAWA?"

Sakuragi cringed,"Ccccalm dddddown Ggggori ... I'll try to explain. It started when he visited me a few times when I was in rehab. Maybe he was lonely at the training camp. Anyway he would usually jog past the beach in front of the hospital and if he saw me, he would stop and sit next to me for a while."

Sakuragi cleared his throat as Akagi frowned, "I don't know but even though we are so different, somehow we got along quite well when we got past all the bickering and rivalry. It was like we became good chums even though we don't understand each other all that well." Akagi understood this as it was the same with his vice-captain last year, Kogore Kiminobu. Even though they were poles apart but somehow they became and remained good companions.

"He started to tell me how his life had changed after Interhigh. You remembered he smiled for the first time during the Sannoh match?" Akagi nodded looking more calm Sakuragi saw with relief.

"He said that it was then that he felt he had met his soulmate, the one whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life"  
"SAWAKITA EIJI"  
"I was just as shocked but Rukawa was very serious about it. He found out which US university Sawakita was enrolled in and applied for it. Before he left for the US, I asked him to keep in touch as I was curious to see how it all ends, so we exchange emails. A couple of days ago before I even knew Haruko is also going to the very same university as Rukawa, I got the email you just read."

"That he found out Sawakita felt the same as he did and they are now living together"  
"Well, people are more liberated in the US I have been told," Sakuragi tried to make light of the situation but Akagi wasn't even listening as he walked over to clutch at the railing for some support. He was berating himself for enrolling Haruko in the same university as Rukawa but how was he to know? He thought he was doing his sister a favour by giving her the opportunity to get close to the guy she had been infatuated for so long.

"Gori, don't you think you should go and tell Haruko that her trip is gonna be cancelled?" Sakuragi asked anxiously as Akagi remained standing hunched at the railing.  
"No," Akagi answered shortly without turning.  
"WHY, GORI? Haruko will be devastated when she finds out about Rukawa and Sawakita"  
"She finds out sooner or later. It's time for Haruko to grow up. She can't live a sheltered life forever."

Sakuragi walked over to the big guy and put an arm around him comfortingly.  
"She should have picked you, Sakuragi"  
"Nah, I don't think so even though I am a tensai. She will not like it when she comes in second to basketball"  
"Why you little punk!"


	2. Courage

**2. Courage**

It was quiet in the Shohoko gym as most of the members had gone home after practice. Only two figures could be seen on the floor. They were Sakuragi and Kogare, the latter was helping the former with stretching exercises.

"Your muscles are quite stiff, Sakuragi-kun. You are all tensed up. What's been going on with you?"  
"Guess you heard about Haruko going to study in America"  
"Yes, Takenori told me and also how you tried to stop her from going"  
"Did he tell you the reason why?"  
"Yes, I couldn't quite believe it until he showed me Rukawa's email"  
"Rukawa's email? Oh yeah."

Sakuragi remembered he gave the printout of the email to Akagi. He didn't expect Akagi to keep and show it to someone else.

"Eh ... Kogare-sempai, the email. You guys didn't show it to anyone else"  
Kogare smiled at the respectful tone Sakuragi adopted. The impulsive redhead had matured since he came back from rehab. Although he still had the tendency to boast of being a tensai and laughed maniacally, he was learning how to be polite and respectful.

"Don't worry, I took it from Takenori and destroyed it. Not something I want broadcast to the whole of Kanagawa"  
"I always know Megane had the most sense, hahahahahahaha"  
Sakurgai reverted back to form once he knew he was out of danger of the email being circulated.

"It was really nice of you to still care so much for Haruko"  
"She will always hold a special place in my heart. She was the one to introduce me to basketball after all"  
"Yes, of course. Basketball is now your one and only love"  
Sakurgai's open, cheerful face suddenly took on a dark gloom and he looked down, muttering dully, "Yes, I only have basketball now."

Kogare patted the younger boy's back, "Don't worry, Sakuragi, you will fall in love again and Haruko will just be a distant memory"  
"You are one to talk, Kogare. The tensai know the real reason why you are always coming around here"  
"Eh? I come here to lend a hand like helping you do stretching exercises"  
"Yes, you do that cos I know you are a helpful guy but you also have another reason for coming here.

Sakuragi smirked at Kogare who looked nonplussed and pushed at his glasses nervously.  
"Another reason"  
"You came here to see someone"  
"To see all of you"  
"We are not the main attraction here. You have been hopelessly in love with this person for a very long time but you lack the courage to speak out."

Kogare looked shocked, "What?"  
"Well, are you going to deny you are in love with someone in Shohoku"  
Kogare stood up and away from Sakuragi. He lifted one end of the towel hanging around his neck and wiped the beads of prespiration from his forehead.  
"Well? Answer please!" Sakuragi looked at him challengingly.

"First Haruko, now me," Kogare scratched his cheek with one finger. "Are you trying to be some kind of charity angel helping those in need?"  
"Yes, I am the tensai angel. Hahahahahahah"  
"I think you are more of a tensai fool. Ever heard of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread"  
"Whatever, but you haven't answer my question"  
"What question"  
"That you are in love with Ayako. The tensai knows all."

Kogare turned bright pink but managed an awkward smile, "You must be out of your mind. By the way, just mind your words when your captain is around"  
"Is that why you never let Ayako know? Cos of Ryochan? If Ayako likes him, something will have happened by now. Don't you think it's better to let Ryochan know he has no chance then let him wait for something that will never happen?"

This time Kogare was really taken about. He stared at Sakuragi who had a serious look on his face. Kogare knew that Sakuragi was extremely fond and protective of his captain, Ryota. He sighed inwardly -- Sakuragi, are you a tensai or a fool? You are so instinctive that sometimes the crazy things you do turn out to be so completely right.

Kogare shook his head and smiled at his junior, "Come on, Sakuragi, let's hit the showers. It has been a long day and as to your question, I think you already know the answer."


	3. Pride

**3. Pride**

BASH! BUMP! Sakuragi felt the pain of a fist hammering onto his head. It had been a long while since he had such a feeling. Last year it had been an almost daily occurence when he did or said something to upset Akagi. Holding his head where a painful red bump was already emerging, he looked up to see his ex-captain glaring down up him with angry red eyes and quickly skipped out of the way before Akagi could land the other fist on his head. Two blows! Gori must be really mad, he thought, but what did I do wrong?

By now the members of the Shohoku basketball team were horrified as they stopped training to stare at their ex-captain flexing his immense muscles at a cowering Sakuragi. They didn't know what to do. At that moment, their captain Ryota was having a meeting with their manager Ayako outside the gym. Unanimously, they decided to quietly trooped out of the gym.

"Wwwhat's going on, Gori? Why are you mad at me"  
"YOU DARE TO LIE TO ME, FOOL"  
"When did the tensai lie to you?"  
"It's a good thing I didn't tell Haruko about Rukawa and Sawakita. Because they are NOT, have NOT and will NOT be living together. I am disappointed in you, Sakuragi. How can you think of such atrocious lies?"

"Bbbbut ... I don't understand. Are you sure? What about that email Rukawa send to me"  
"Of course I am sure. I spoke to Haruko a few days ago and she said that Rukawa does not have a roommate and certainly not one by the name of Sawakita. So I made some enquries and found out that Sawakita has enrolled in another university. As for the email, sure you didn't forge it"  
"Of course not, I don't even know how to forge emails"  
"That email was real."

Both of them turned to look at the speaker who had entered the gym quietly. It was Kogare and behind him was Ayako looking pale and distraught.  
"What's happening here, Kogare-sempai?" asked a very flustered Sakuragi.  
"I have been making some enquiries of my own too," said Kogare pushing at the bridge of his glasses which was a sign that he was being very serious.  
"When Takenori told me that you said Rukawa had visited when you were in rehab, my curiosity was already piqued. Reason being I knew that the All Japan Junior training camp was situated a fair distance from your hospital. So for Rukawa to visit you, he had to travel at least two hours to and fro."

"WHAT!?! Why did he visit me then? He must had been more lonely than I thought"  
"Not only that but I found out that his frequent absence from training virtually ruined any chances of Rukawa being selected for the national junior team"  
"Was that why he wasn't selected? I was surprised myself," said Akagi.  
"I don't understand at all," moaned a perplexed Sakuragi when SPLAT! -- a large paper fan landed on his head.  
"Ayako! Can't you see my head already has a bump? Are you trying to make it bigger"  
"Ayako, restrain yourself," murmured Kogare affectionately.  
"Huh?" Sakuragi's head twitched from Ayako to Kogare and back a few times.

"That cos you are a bigger idiot than I thought, Sakuragi Hanamichi," chided an extremely upset Ayako. "Call yourself a tensai and you can't even understand when somebody made so many sacrifices for you"  
"Sacrifices? For me"  
"Why else would anyone make such a great effort to visit such an obnoxious person as yourself? And then to top it all, let go of the opportunity to be selected into the national team. Why would anyone give up so much pride and honour? I always thought I understood Rukawa very well and that he is too proud a person to make any kind of sacrifice for anyone. But I was wrong, so wrong. I never would have believed that he will do so much out of love. And now he even ..." Ayako couldn't finished her speech as she was so overcome by grief. Kogare handed her a clean, white handerchief for her to sob into.

"I emailed Rukawa when I got his address off your printout," Kogare told Sakuragi earnestly. "I wanted to know why he never confessed his love to you but instead said that he had fallen for Sawakita. He told me via email that he knows that you have too much pride to admit anything that might make you a figure of fun. Even though he is sure that you have similiar feelings for him, he dare not confess. He felt that you will just distance yourself from him. So in desperation, he tried to make you jealous by pretending to be in love with Sawakita. When even that didn't work, he--"

"I honestly don't know what you guys are on about," Sakuragi interrupted nervously. "How can the tensai be in love with Rukawa? That some kinda lame joke, nahahahahahahahahaha! Don't you remember we were always fighting. We are rivals, how can we love each other?"  
"Don't be such a fool, Sakuragi," growled Akagi. "Even I wondered why Rukawa ignored my beautiful sister but tried so many ways to get your attention"  
"GORI"  
"TAKENORI"  
"AKAGI-SEMPAI!"

Akagi folded his arms and looked at Kogare sternly, "Do you really think I am such an insensitive idiot, Kogare? That I never knew about you and Ayako too. All those weekend meetings about the basketball club, how I was not needed to attend and just concentrate on training? Even a child could see through your flimsy excuses"  
Kogare had the grace to look shamefaced, "Well, we had to hide the truth from Ryota somehow"  
Ayako sobbed even harder into Kogare's handerchief.

"Please stop, Ayako," complained Sakuragi, "you are hurting the tensai's ears. Why are you crying anyway?"

"Well, you see," Kogare explained nervously, "she just got a phonecall from Haruko. Rukawa had been rushed to hospital a few hours ago. They found him unconscious in his room. He took an overdose of sleeping pills. Actually I had been worried cos in his last email to me, he sounded extremely depressed and said he has given up ... ugh ... STOP ... IT!"


	4. Despair

**4. Despair**

"TELL. ME. HOW. IS. RUKAWA"  
Sakuragi shook Kogare by the neck with every word he uttered. Akagi circled his arm around the redhead's neck to get him to release Kogare. Ayako rushed to Kogare patting his back as he struggled to get his breath back.  
"Calm down, Sakuragi," commanded Akagi. "Let him get his breath back. We are all as concerned about Rukawa. How is he, Ayako? Can you talk now?"

"Yes, I am sorry but I was so shocked by the news," Ayako looked downcast. "He was already in a coma when they found him"  
She was rudely interrupted by Sakuragi who suddenly grabbed Akagi's arm.  
"Gori, Gori, I must go and see Rukawa! Lend me the money to buy a plane ticket, please Gori. I promise I will pay you back. I will work everyday to pay you back but please lend me the money now. PLEASE GORI"  
Still holding Akagi's arm, Sakuragi sank to his knees in total despair, tears streaming nonstop.

"Sakuragi-kun, I am so sorry ... but it's ... too late," Ayako could barely speak with trembling lips. "By the time they ... rushed him ... to hospital, Rukawa had stopped breathing ... they couldn't ... revive him ... so sorry to tell you ..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

An animalistic roar from the Shohoku gym stopped everyone in their tracks around the school. The four members of Sakuragi's army heard the roar and instantly recognised it as coming from their leader. At that moment they were heading for the gym with a cake to celebrate his birthday as it was the first of April. They began to run madly with Youhei leading the way. A horrible sight met them so they rushed into the gym. It was Sakuragi with blood flowing in rivulets down his forehead and a pool of blood as red as his hair on the floor. Akagi, Kogare and Ayako were all struggling to stop him from bashing his head on the floor again.

"What's happening here?" cried Youhei as he rushed to put his arms around his best friend. "What did you guys do to him"  
Ayako whispered into his ear and Youhei nodded solemnly with understanding.  
"Hanamichi, you need to stay calm. It's no use trying to hurt yourself. It will not bring him back to life"  
"Youhei, Youhei," Sakuragi collapsed into his arms. "What am I to do? I want to fly there now. I want to see him. I need to see him"  
"Yes, yes, you will get to see him I promise but you must not hurt yourself again"  
Youhei took a clean handerchief from his pocket and tenderly wiped the blood on Sakuragi's face. This seemed to calm the boy down but after the grief, Sakuragi began to feel anger.

"Stupid kitsune, why did he give up so easily? If only he told me he was feeling depressed, I would have flown over there to give him a piece of my mind. Did he not think I was depressed too? I thought he was happy with Sawakita, I really did. Even though it ripped a hole in my heart but I was happy that he was happy. Why did he lie to me? Always selfish to the end, that kitsune. Now my heart is all shattered and I can't even say it to his face. Ahhhhhhhhh I want to see that face so bad!"

Sakuragi lowered his head to the floor and his shoulders shook sporadically as he wept bitterly. All the people in the gym were silent after hearing Sakuragi's monologue. Finally he confessed his love for Rukawa but it seemed to have come at an inopportune time. Ayako glanced meaningfully at Kogare and they quietly began to whisper to the others and hustle them out of the gym.

Youhei gently released the boy from his grasp and told him, "I will go and get a plaster for your forehead, Hanamichi. Will you promise not to hurt yourself when I am gone?"

The grieving boy nodded dumbly. He did not care anymore. He just wanted to lie in the Shohoku gym forever trying hard not to think of a beautiful fawnlike creature with the silkiest black hair and gorgeous blue eyes. After a while, he heard the door of the gym sliding open and the soft tread of someone coming in. He thought it was Youhei coming back with a plaster.

"How long does it take to fly to America, Youhei?" he muttered dully. There was no reply and he raised his head slightly and saw a familiar pair of basketball shoes ...


	5. Resurrection

**5. Resurrection**

"Get up, doahou!" ordered a low voice. "This is not a good look"  
"Rukawa!?" Sakuragi hardly dared to look up but he did and saw the person he thought he would never see again.  
"April Fools, Sakuragi Hanamichi!" cried Ayako giggling from outside the gym.  
"Happy Birthday to you!" cried his army as they pushed a cake into the gym and closed the doors tightly.

"Want some cake"  
"Aren't you suppose to be dead, kitsune?" Sakuragi looked purple with rage as he leapt up and grabbed hold of Rukawa's collar. "If you are not, I can make sure you are now"  
"Don't be so noisy," Rukawa muttered as he stuck a plaster on Sakuragi's forehead.

Sakuragi's eyes bulged menacingly as he confronted the guy who had caused such havoc to his heart. Then his face scrunched up as he remembered the grief he felt a few minutes ago. He pouted and tears flowed freely from his eyes again. He put his head back and rubbed his eyes with the back of a hand like a child.  
"How ... can you ... be so cruel," he snivelled, "pretending ... to be dead. You hurt me ... so much"  
"If it takes my death to make you confess, I gladly die--"  
"No!" Sakuragi shouted as he put his hand across Rukawa's mouth. "Don't mention your death again."

Rukawa's blue eyes grew soft and tender as he removed Sakuragi's hand from his mouth. He leaned and placed a soft kiss on Sakuragi's cheek.  
"This is how friends greet each other in America"  
Rukawa sighed, "But I don't want to be just friends with you. Did you really think I will be happy with Sawakita, doahou?"

"I don't know what to think even though I am a tensai. You and your tricks. No wonder I call you kitsune. You are always so sly and cunning. Always thinking of ways to trick me"  
"I only want you to confess"  
"Why must it be me to confess? Why can't you just come out and tell me how you feel"  
"And lose you forever"  
"Look who's talking," Sakuragi pointed a finger at Rukawa. "You are the one who run away to America"  
"I thought you will miss me more."

Sakuragi shrugged in resignation and folded his arms, "So what now, kitsune? Are you here on holiday or back for good"  
"I only went there for a month's training course"  
"What"  
"It was sponsored by a sportswear company that my dad invested in"  
"I don't believe it. Not another trick"  
"No tricks. They are interested in you too"  
"Huh"  
"So we can go together during the summer break"  
"This is too much for me"  
"Just treat it as a birthday gift from me"  
"Sure it's not an April Fools' joke"  
"Doahou."

Rukawa moved closer to Sakuragi and grabbed his neck. Sakuragi at once put up his fists.  
"I know you want a fight. Bring it on, kitsune"  
"Shhhhhh ... be quiet. Happy Birthday."  
Rukawa placed his lips this time very firmly on Sakuragi's luscious mouth ...

* * *

April Fools hah so it's ruhanaru not rusawaru. Happy Birthday Sakuragi Hanamichi!!!!!!


End file.
